At PR News, we chronicle the most innovative and effective communications strategies and campaigns. In 2010, despite a challenging economic environment, the great work just kept on coming. But we never lose sight of what drives this incredible body of work: the people. Behind every press release, word-of-mouth campaign and corporate blog are creative thinkers and bold leaders. We honor these top communicators every year via PR News’ PR People Awards and our Hall of Fame inductions. Also included in this special issue is a nod to the next wave of top communications professionals—PR News’ 15-to-Watch. All of these All-Stars were honored at a Nov. 30 awards luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

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PR Hall of Fame Inductees

• Diane Gage Lofgren, SVP, Brand Strategy, Communications and Public Relations, Kaiser Permanente
• Lou Rena Hammond, Chairman/Founder, Lou Hammond & Associates
• Jay M. Jaffe, President & CEO, Jaffe PR
• Andy Polansky, President, Weber Shandwick
• D’Arcy Rudnay, SVP, Corporate Communications, Comcast Corporation
• Scott Widmeyer, Chairman and CEO, Widmeyer Communications

Account Director/Supervisor of the Year

Maria Reitan, Senior Principal, Director of Practice Group Development and Chair of Lifestyle Marketing, Carmichael Lynch Spong

Honorable Mentions:

• Eric Pehle, EVP, Weber Shandwick Minneapolis
• Jennifer Risi, EVP, Weber Shandwick New York

Brand Marketer of the Year

Huma Gruaz, CEO & President, Alpaytac

Honorable Mention:

• Lisa Sepulveda, President, Weber Shandwick New York

Crisis Manager of the Year

Eliot Hoff, Senior Vice President, APCO Worldwide

Honorable Mentions:

• Jason Maloni, SVP, Levick Strategic Communications (DC)
• Thomas J. Rozycki Jr., SVP, CJP Communications
• Michelle Russo, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Communications, Discovery Communications

CSR Leader

Eric Edge, Global Chief Communications Officer, Euro RSCG Worldwide

Honorable Mentions:

• Ulviya Hasanzade, Corporate Communications and CSR Head, Azercell Telecom
• Marie Yarroll, Senior Manager, Public Relations, Best Western

Digital Communications Leader of the Year

Mary O’Connell, Global Director Digital and PR, The Clorox Company

Honorable Mentions:

• Chris Perry, President, Digital Communications, Weber Shandwick New York
• Holly Potter, VP of Public Relations, Kaiser Permanente

Event Marketer/ Communicator of the Year

Jann Yogman, Director of Event Coordination, North 6th Agency

 

Honorable Mentions:

• Samson Leung, PR Manager, Volkswagen Hong Kong Ltd.
• Rene Mack, President, Travel & Lifestyle marketing Practices, Weber Shandwick New York

Investor Relations Professional of the Year

Claire Koeneman, President of MWW Group's Financial Relations Board Howard Ungerleider, VP Investor Relations, Dow Chemical

Honorable Mentions:

• Crocker Coulson, President, CCG Investor Relations
• Rob Flaherty, Senior Partner and President, Ketchum

Marketing/Marcom Leader of the Year

Cheryl Goodman, Director, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies

Honorable Mentions:

• Ambre Morley, Associate Director, Novo Nordisk
• Matt Rizzetta, President, North 6th Agency
• Kelly Williamson, Senior Vice President, APCO Worldwide

 

Measurement Expert/PR Analyst of the Year

Tim Marklein, Executive VP, Measurement & Strategy, Weber Shandwick San Francisco

Honorable Mentions:

• Steve Astle, VP, Corporate Communications, FICO
• Don Bartholomew, VP, Digital Research, Fleishman-Hillard

Media Relations Professional of the Year

Peter Shankman, Founder/CEO, Help a Reporter Out

 

Public Affairs Professional of the Year

Marguerite Tortorello, SVP, Public Affairs, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America

Honorable Mentions:

• Ray Steen, Marketing Director, General Dynamics Information Technology
• Huw Williams, President, Impact Public Affairs

PR Blogger of the Year

Tim Haran, Manager of Social Media Content, USANA

Honorable Mentions:

• Todd Defren, Principal, Shift Communications
• Kerry Noone, Senior Marketing Manager at Sodexo

PR Professional of the Year – Academic

 

Claire Holmes, Associate Vice Chancellor, University Communications, University of California, Berkeley

Honorable Mentions:

• Daniel Arguijo Jr., Chief Communications Officer, Houston Community College
• Bill Jenkins, Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications , Grand Canyon University

 

PR Professional of the Year – Agency

Michael Kempner, President & CEO, MWW Group Inc.

Honorable Mentions:

• Sandra Fathi, President, Affect Strategies
• Ed James, President, Cornerstone 
• Starr Million Baker, President and Co-Founder, INK Public Relations
• Elizabeth Zaborowska, Founder and Principal, Bhava Communications

PR Professional of the Year: Corporate

 

Chris Fuller, Director of PR & Emerging Media, Pizza Hut

Honorable Mentions:

• Eileen Cassidy Rivera, Vice President Communications & Investor Relations, Vangent Inc.
• Kelly Doria, Scottrade
• Cheryl Goodman, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Inc.
• Stuart Kirby, Diageo PLC
• Dan Macuga, USANA Health Sciences
• Donna C. Peterman, PNC Financial Services Group Inc.
• Troy Rutman, Best Western International

PR Professional of the Year – Nonprofit

 

Jennifer Coleman, Senior Vice President of Consumer Affairs, Baylor Health Care System

Honorable Mentions:

• Shawna Seldon, SVP, The Rosen Group
• Patrice Smith, Director, Stakeholder Management, Kaiser Permanente

 

PR Agency Team Leader

 

Joseph Cohen, Group Vice President, MWW Group

Honorable Mentions:

• Beth Pagano, Senior Vice President, Euro RSCG Worldwide
• Marian Salzman, President, Euro RSCG Worldwide PR

Social Media Leader

 

Christopher Barger, Director, Global Social Media, GM

Honorable Mentions:

• Danielle Brigida, Digital Marketing Manager, National Wildlife Federation
• Shauna Causey, PR Manager, Comcast
• Doug Wernert, Senior Account Executive, Weber Shandwick Detroit

Intern of the Year

 

Helen Havlak, Euro RSCG Worldwide

 

Lemonade Maker

 

David Siroty, VP of North American Communications, Coldwell Banker

 

Speechwriters of the Year

Gary Sheffer, VP, Communications & Public Affairs, GE Steve Soltis, Director, Leadership Communications, The Coca Cola Company

15-to-Watch

Corporate and Nonprofit:

• Andrea Boyle, University of Delaware
• Cassie Bryan, Turner Broadcasting System
• Brad Carmony, Homewood Suites by Hilton
• Laura Dunn, Kaiser Permanente
• Kristy Guerra, Bausch & Lomb Inc
• Amanda Hebert, Scholastic Inc.
• Jessica Laiti, Cox Enterprises
• Scott Larrivee, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Justin Lyons, National Basketball Association
• Melissa Perlman, Office Depot
• Ashley Pettit, Southwest Airlines
• Nathaniel Reagan, WCG Company
• Bethridge Toovell, Rodale
• John Trybus, The Jane Goodall Institute
• Megan Wright, Oncor Electric Delivery

 

Agency:

• Amy Burke Friedman, Profiles Inc
• William Byrne, Euro RSCG Worldwide
• Laura A. Clementi, Carmichael Lynch Spong
• Mary Kathryn Covert, FD
• Alana Fontaine, Impact Public Affairs
• Robert Gara, APCO Worldwide
• Angela Grossfeld, Porter Novelli
• Garland Harwood, Weber Shandwick
• Patrick Hornung, Brunswick
• Patrick Kerley, Levick Strategic Communications
• Taline Kundakji, Marina Maher Communications Inc
• Jillian Kwolek, DeVries Public Relations
• Bradley Portnoy, Powell Tate│Weber Shandwick
• Katie Reardon, Widmeyer Communications
• Amy Robinson, LEWIS PR